7 Best Light Bulbs for A Home Office 2023 | Lighting to Improve Productivity
/With working from home now so common, the need for a comfortable and productive home office has become essential.
One of the most important factors in creating an effective home office is lighting. Proper lighting can help reduce eye strain, prevent headaches, and increase productivity.
In this post, I’ll discuss the importance of choosing the right light bulbs for your home office and provide recommendations for the best bulbs to use.
Types of Light Bulbs for Home Offices
Here’s a list of the most common light bulb types and their features:
LED Bulbs: The most popular choice for most people, they are bright, energy-efficient and long-lasting (up to 25,000 hours!). Dimmable LED bulbs are a popular choice for home offices as they provide versatility and control over lighting.
Smart Bulbs: convenient and energy-efficient option for a home office, as they can be controlled through a smartphone app or voice commands. They offer the ability to create schedules, change colors, and adjust brightness levels.
Daylight Bulbs: provides a natural light similar to daylight, great for reducing eye strain and increasing productivity. If you want to bring natural light indoors, daylight bulbs are a great option.
Full Spectrum Bulbs: offer a color temperature of 6500K, which means they emit light that closely mimics natural sunlight and can enhance well-being, mood, and productivity. Especially beneficial for artists, designers, and anyone who needs to accurately see colors.
CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights): CFL bulbs emit a bright and even light, and come in a variety of color temperatures, from warm to cool white. However, CFL bulbs may take a few seconds to reach full brightness, and some people may find their light too harsh or flickering.
Halogen: Halogen bulbs are good for home offices because they provide bright and focused illumination, making them ideal for highlighting specific areas or objects such as artwork or a workspace.
At A Glance: The Best Light Bulbs for A Home Office
Short on time? Here’s a quick glance at my top pick for each of the light bulb types above.
TOP PICK: Best LED Light Bulb: Lifix Color A19 800 Lumens Smart LED Light Bulb - Ideal for overall office lighting, plus video conferencing and streaming due to its customizable color and brightness.
Best Dimmable LED Light Bulb: Feit Electric Smart Light Bulbs with RGB Color Changing and Tunable White - Great for reading and task lighting with its dimmable and adjustable color temperature features.
Best Smart Light Bulb: Philips Hue White 2-Pack A19 LED Smart Bulb - Perfect for remote work with its smart features that allow you to control the lights with voice commands or an app.
Best Daylight Light Bulb: GE Refresh 60-Watt EQ A19 Daylight Dimmable LED Light Bulb - Excellent for work that requires color accuracy and detail, such as graphic design or photo editing, with its daylight-like color temperature.
Best Full Spectrum Light Bulb: KOZE Day Full Spectrum Light Bulb Mimics Natural Sunlight - Ideal for boosting mood and productivity with its natural-looking light that mimics sunlight.
Best CFL Light Bulb: Philips CFL 23W Twister Daylight - A cost-effective option for general-purpose lighting in the home office, providing bright daylight-like illumination.
Best Halogen Light Bulb: Simba Lighting Halogen Light Bulb - Useful for highlighting specific areas or objects, such as artwork or a workspace, with its focused beam and bright light output.
Best Light Bulbs for a Home Office: Detailed Recommendations
Now let’s take a more detailed look at each type of light bulb for home offices that I recommended above.
Best LED Light Bulb: Lifix Color A19 800 Lumens Smart LED Light Bulb
The LIFX Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb is an ideal lighting solution for those who work from home, and my top pick overall. The bulb is fully dimmable via voice or app and is bright enough to fill any room.
The bulb has a wide range of colors, from 1500-9000K, and 550 billion possible color steps, which makes it perfect for setting the right ambiance for your work.
Best LED Light Bulb: Lifix Color A19 800 Lumens Smart LED Light Bulb
You can control the lights from anywhere using Wi-Fi, and there's no need for a hub or bridge. With voice compatibility through Alexa, Apple HomeKit / Siri, and Hey Google, you can operate it hands-free with voice commands or schedules.
You can also set security schedules to make it look like you're at home even when you're not.
The Feit Electric Smart Light Bulbs are perfect for people who work from home and want the best dimmable LED light bulbs to help them work productively.
With voice control compatibility through Alexa and Google Home Assistant, you can turn the lights on/off, adjust brightness, and change color with simple voice commands.
However, the bulbs are dimmable via the app or voice control only, so it's important not to use them with dimmer switches.
With Wi-Fi-enabled control from anywhere, you can easily control the bulbs with the Feit Electric app, even outside your home.
You can also set up schedules, unique groupings, and scenes to turn your bulbs on/off at specific times or to save color settings that are unique to your room.
With a wide range of light intensity and color temperature, the Philips Hue White A19 LED Smart Bulb can set the perfect ambiance for your work environment.
The bulbs are easy to set up, and you can control them with just a touch of a button on your mobile device or voice assistant. With the ability to add up to 10 Hue Bluetooth/Zigbee smart bulbs and the Hue Hub, you can control up to 50 smart lights throughout your home, even outdoors.
Best Smart Light Bulb: Philips Hue White A19 LED Smart Bulb
With voice control compatibility through Alexa or Google Assistant, you can control the lights hands-free, making it easier to focus on your work.
Emitting a cool, bluish-white high definition daylight light with a 5000 Kelvin color temperature, the GE Refresh 60-Watt EQ A19 Daylight Dimmable LED Light Bulb provides the perfect ambiance for working - ideal for reading, crafting, and working on detailed projects.
These eight LED bulbs have an A19 shape and size with a frosted finish and medium base (E26), making them ideal for ceiling lights, wall lights, and table lamps.
GE Refresh 60-Watt EQ A19 Daylight Dimmable LED Light Bulb
Plus, they're dimmable and work with most dimmer switches, giving you complete control over your lighting setup.
They're rated to last for an impressive 13 years based on three hours of daily use, meaning you won't have to worry about replacing them anytime soon.
If you're looking for a smart light bulb that can help you stay productive and energized while working from home, the KOZE Day Full Spectrum Light Bulb is an excellent option to consider.
This dimmable bulb uses patented SunLike LED technology to mimic natural sunlight without UV, providing a full light spectrum that can boost energy, mood, and even fight seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Best Full Spectrum Light Bulb: KOZE Day Full Spectrum Light Bulb
At 800 lumens and 9 watts, the KOZE Day Bulb is bright enough to help you stay productive throughout the day while being energy-efficient and cost-effective. Whether you're working or playing, this bulb is perfect for providing optimal lighting.
Additionally, with a near-perfect Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 97+, this bulb is also ideal for art and photography, making colors and images appear natural and clear.
If you're looking for an energy-efficient option for your home office lighting, Philips CFL light bulbs are a great choice.
This 4-pack of bulbs can replace traditional 100W incandescent bulbs, while saving you money on energy costs. The daylight white color temperature (6500K) provides a bright, natural light that can help boost your productivity during the day.
Best CFL Light Bulb: Philips CFL 23W Twister
With a lifespan of up to 9.1 years, these bulbs are a cost-effective option for anyone who wants to save money on their energy bills.
Plus, the mini-twister design makes them easy to use in table and floor lamps, so you can adjust the lighting in your workspace to your liking.
With its wide 360° beam angle and warm, soft white 2700K color temperature, the Simba Lighting Halogen Light Bulb is an energy-efficient, eco-friendly bulb that delivers an output of 25 watts and 230 lumens.
It is perfect for use in a variety of lighting applications, including landscape lights, desk and floor lamps, and wall sconces. This bulb has a lifespan of 2,000 hours, which is equivalent to 1.8 years with 3-hour daily use, and it comes in a pack of 10.
Best Halogen Light Bulb: Simba Lighting Halogen Light Bulb
Plus, it is dimmable and provides an instant-on feature. With an average household energy cost of only $3.0 per year, the Simba Lighting Halogen Light Bulb is a cost-effective and reliable lighting solution for your home or office.
Best Light Bulbs for A Home Office: Comparison Chart
Here’s a quick comparison chart of the light bulbs I’ve covered above, with ideas for what they are each best of and their main features.
| Light Bulb | Ideal For | Features | Lumens | Color Temperature | Wattage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED Light Bulb: Lifix Color A19 800 Lumens Smart LED Light Bulb | Overall office lighting, video conferencing | Customizable color and brightness | 800 lm | 2700K-6500K | 9 watts |
| Dimmable LED Light Bulb: Feit Electric Smart Light Bulbs with RGB Color Changing and Tunable White | Reading, task lighting | Dimmable, adjustable color temperature | 800 lm | 2700K-6500K | 9.5 watts |
| Smart Light Bulb: Philips Hue White 2-Pack A19 LED Smart Bulb | Remote work | Voice command or app control | 800 lm | 2700K-6500K | 9.5 watts |
| Daylight Light Bulb: GE Refresh 60-Watt EQ A19 Daylight Dimmable LED Light Bulb | Graphic design, photo editing, color accuracy | Daylight-like color temperature | 800 lm | 5000K | 10 watts |
| Full Spectrum Light Bulb: KOZE Day Full Spectrum Light Bulb Mimics Natural Sunlight | Boosting mood and productivity | Natural-looking light that mimics sunlight | 800 lm | 5500K-6500K | 9 watts |
| CFL Light Bulb: Philips 416016 CFL 23W Twister Daylight | General-purpose lighting | Bright daylight-like illumination | 1600 lm | 6500K | 23 watts |
| Halogen Light Bulb: Simba Lighting Halogen Light Bulb | Highlighting specific areas or objects | Focused beam and bright light output | 230 lm | 2700K | 25 watts |
Selecting Light Bulb Color Temperatures for Home Offices
When choosing the right light bulbs for your home office, it's important to consider the color temperature. Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K) and can affect how you perceive colors and how alert or relaxed you feel.
Here are the recommended color temperatures for a home office based on the time of day and type of work being done.
Warm White: 2700-3300K
Warm white light is often used in living spaces and bedrooms as it creates a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. In a home office, it can help to create a calm and comfortable environment that's conducive to focused work, especially in the evenings or when doing tasks that require low levels of light.
Bright or Daylight White: 4200-5500K
This color temperature is similar to natural daylight and is recommended for tasks that require high levels of visual acuity, such as reading, writing, and using a computer. Bright or daylight white light can help you stay alert and focused throughout the day.
Cool White: 5500-10,000K
Cool white light has a bluish tint and is often used in commercial spaces like hospitals and offices. It can be beneficial for tasks that require attention to detail, such as graphic design or drafting, as it can increase contrast and visual clarity. However, too much exposure to cool white light can cause eye strain and fatigue, so it's important to balance it with warmer tones.
Single Light Source vs. Multiple
Working in a home office can require different lighting needs based on personal preferences and the type of work being done. One consideration is whether to use a single light source or multiple sources.
Using multiple light sources can provide a variety of benefits, including reducing glare and shadows, providing even lighting, and creating a more comfortable and pleasant work environment.
For example, some people may prefer a bright and well-lit space while others may prefer a more dimly lit and relaxed atmosphere. The type of work being done can also play a role, with certain tasks requiring brighter and more focused lighting while others may benefit from softer and more diffuse lighting.
A combination of different types of light sources, such as overhead lights, task lights, and ambient lighting, can provide the flexibility to adjust lighting based on changing needs throughout the day.
Best Light Bulb for A Home Office: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most pondered questions about the best light bulbs for your home office - a good summary of some of the information above.
Q: What are the best lightbulbs for a home office?
A: LED, CFL, and daylight bulbs are the best choices for a home office due to their energy efficiency, color rendering, and brightness.
Q: Should I use LED or fluorescent bulbs in my home office?
A: LED bulbs are generally the better choice for a home office due to their energy efficiency, longer lifespan, and versatility.
Q: What color temperature is best for a home office?
A: Bright or daylight white bulbs with a color temperature of 4200-5500K are the best for a home office.
Q: How many lumens should a lightbulb have for a home office?
A: A lightbulb with 2500-4000 lumens is best for a home office.
Q: Can using the wrong lightbulb cause eye strain?
A: Yes, using the wrong type of bulb with incorrect brightness or color temperature can cause eye strain, headaches, and fatigue.
Q: Are smart lightbulbs a good choice for a home office?
A: Smart lightbulbs can be a convenient and energy-efficient choice for a home office as they can be controlled with a smartphone app or voice commands.
Q: What is the average lifespan of a lightbulb for a home office?
A: The average lifespan of a lightbulb for a home office varies depending on the type of bulb, but LED bulbs typically last the longest, up to 25,000 hours.
Q: Do energy-efficient lightbulbs save money in a home office?
A: Yes, energy-efficient lightbulbs such as LED and CFL bulbs can save money on electricity bills in a home office.
Q: How can I adjust my home office lighting for different tasks?
A: Using multiple light sources with adjustable brightness and color temperature can help you adjust your home office lighting for different tasks.
Conclusion: Best Light Bulbs For Home Offices
So, after looking into different types of light bulbs, we've found some great options for you to consider for your home office! Whether you prefer LED, halogen, or smart bulbs, there are plenty of choices to meet your needs.
If you want something that mimics natural sunlight, the KOZE Day Full Spectrum Light Bulb or the Philips 416016 CFL 23W bulbs are great options. On the other hand, if you want a bright, daylight-like bulb, the GE Refresh 60-Watt EQ A19 LED or the Simba Lighting Halogen Light Bulb are solid choices.
And for those who want smart bulbs that can be controlled by voice commands or mobile apps, the Philips Hue White A19 LED Smart Bulb and the Feit Electric Smart Light Bulbs are worth checking out.
Overall, choosing the right light bulbs for your home office can make a huge difference in your productivity and well-being. So take some time to consider what kind of lighting you prefer and make sure to pick bulbs that suit your needs.
Want more? Check out these articles for products to help you build the best home office setup in the world:
Andrew Macarthy has worked from home for over a decade. He is a social media consultant and the author of the #1 Amazon Web Marketing Bestseller, 500 Social Media Marketing Tips - with over 150,000 copies sold to date.
